


Team Avatar in... the Abominable Snowman of Astral Peaks

by hotpantsasami



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: F/F, F/M, M/M, Mystery, Post-Canon, Snowy arctic fic, Suspense, Water Tribe(s)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-15
Updated: 2016-09-27
Packaged: 2018-07-24 04:20:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,187
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7493610
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hotpantsasami/pseuds/hotpantsasami
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Asami plans to invest in a ski resort, but when a 'rogue spirit' starts causing trouble at the remote lodge, Korra and the gang investigate. Written because I missed the cute Krew aspect of LOK. Set about 6 months after the finale. A fun, suspenseful Scooby-Doo-like mystery!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Part 1

Korra stared out the small square window of the snow tank at the icy blue sea and the desolate shores she had called home, although this stretch of coastline was becoming unfamiliar to her. They were going out to the east, which was still largely uninhabited and mainly was used as a game preserve. She remembered going out on a hunt with her dad and Unalaq before she became more restrained to the White Lotus compound, and remembering how thankful she was when she didn’t have to share a tent with Eska and Desna. She recalled enough times waking up to them staring at her during sleepovers in her youth that she certainly never wanted to experience that again. Having an Asami to share a room with, a Mako, an Opal, just about anyone was probably better to share a room with. Maybe not Wu. Mako said he made noises when he slept. A lot.

Bolin hitting his head against the front seat woke Korra up from looking out the little window, he crying out and already holding his hand against his forehead.

“Shit…”, Korra heard Asami say barely under her breath, Mako noticing her say it too. “Sorry, I told you I hadn’t worked out some of the suspension yet, and we’re getting bumpier, so huddle up and sit tight. Finish your coffee unless you want it in your lap”, Asami glanced at Mako, smirked. Mako pouted, his thermos in hand,

“I won’t spill”,

“You’re going to spill, I’m telling you right now”. Korra scooched a bit closer to Bolin, put a hand on his shoulder.

“You’ve had tougher blows than that one”,

“My beautiful face, I should lie down in the back, I got a mover shoot coming up when we get back, and I can’t have a black eye from a bumpy ride”.

“Fine by me!”, they heard Opal yell, having pulled the short straw and was in the back with their luggage.

“Opal! You haven’t hit your head yet have you?”, Bolin called back. Mako smirked,

“Maybe a black eye would be good bro, they can shoot those scenes first and have it look real - Black Eye Bolin…”.

“…And the Bandits of Ba Sing Se”, Opal added in loudly, the tank going over more little snow hills. 

“Are you gonna be in the mover too, Mako? I’m surprised Varrick hasn’t tried to recruit you”, said Asami chiming in. 

“Oh, you don‘t have… what do you call it, a certain charm for the screen? I have it, Mako… I wouldn’t say you do, he’s a little too… stiff”, Bolin mused, scratched his chin. Korra snorted,

“He can be a stuntman, he’s not so stiff for that”.

“I’m not a _stuntman_ , I’ve had enough stunts for one lifetime…”,

“You gotta start somewhere if you wanna make it in the big movers”, Asami said. They could feel the tank go up a medium-sized hill, and went over a sharp bump, causing Bolin to smack his face against the end of Mako’s seat.

“OW! Okay seriously can we switch seats? I’m gonna get tenderized back here like I’m in a meat shop if this keeps up”.

“It’s not much better back here, Bo!”, Opal called, holding back Asami’s trunk from sliding onto her lap. Korra grimaced, felt bad Opal drew the short straw.

“Maybe we should, Korra, are we almost there? Is this the right way…”, Asami fretted,

“What do you mean is this the right way…!!!”, Mako said, sounding alarmed. Korra stood up, her head bumping against the riveted roof, smirking at knowing how much pride Asami took in the rivet production at her factory. And here she was doing this.

“Hold on!”, she carefully metalbent the roof apart enough so she could pop her head out. It made a loud screeching at first and everyone covered their ears with a grimace. It was windy and her bangs got in her eyes, but it was snowing lightly, and she could see a couple miles at least. She peered around, saw Naga loping behind the tank, could see a building far in the distance barely through the snowy haze. Nothing else was around for miles except the tundra brush and the oncoming mountain chain.

“Brr! Korra, close it up! I have my little jacket on!”, Opal shivered, the rest of them flinching from the cold too. Korra sat down and bent the roof back into place.

“It looks like we’re five or six miles out…”. Mako coughed, rubbed his hands together, preceded Asami’s snaky tone,

“Why did you rip open the roof when I have a windshield…”

“Hey, you asked!”. Asami groaned, pushed her raven hair back, still looking lustrous even in a dark snow tank, she whined,

“Man, I have to pee! I wonder if I can push the shovel out farther and we’ll go faster…”,

“No wonder someone’s grumpy”, Korra teased, leaning forward so Asami could hear her better.

“Korra I’m gonna lay down in your lap so I won’t hit my face again”, Bolin said as he already got down and put his head on her knee, the seatbelt still around him haphazard.

“I’m coming up too…”, Opal said, already unbuckled and was maneuvering herself over luggage and around the seat. Korra watched nervously as she walked past the door, hoping they wouldn’t go over another violent bump.

“Come here, babe, at least if I’m under I can absorb the shock of it”.

“How gentlemanly”, Opal said inches away from his lips, on top of him and holding onto his sides as much as she could. Korra leaned forward and tickled the back of Asami’s neck through the gap between the seat and the head.

“AaaHHhaAA!”, she shivered,

“You got it up to speed now?”. Just then they went over another sharp bump, and they all lifted up out of their seats. Korra and Asami’s heads scraped against the roof, Mako’s hit it hard and he yelled loudly. Pabu, sitting at Mako’s feet, was thrown up and hit Mako’s knees.

“GaaaaHHH! DO THESE RECLINE? I’m too tall for this thing! You’re gonna need to take me in for a concussion if that happens again”, Mako said rubbing his head miserably.

“It can recline a little bit, I can see the lodge, we’re getting closer”. Korra rubbed Mako’s sore head, pulled out water and started bending a small ring to help soothe it.

“Aaahhh cold…”

“Too cold?”

“just… cold…”. Mako quieted, still pouting, as Korra bent the water to his head. She joked,

“Hmm, too bad your man isn’t here, he could help bandage you up”,

“ _He’s not my man_ ”. Korra felt Opal poke her thigh, Korra glanced down and Opal winked at her,

“Yes he is”, she whispered. Bolin burped and Opal fanned it away from beneath her,

“Hey!”

“Ho boy we need to get off this crazy tank, it‘s giving me gas!”, Bolin said, rubbing his head again.

“Lovely”, Opal said, turning her head away. Asami leaned out the window, cold air blowing in again,

“Naga! Go in front, girl! Lead us on!”. Korra could see Naga’s back go by the little window, race out in front of the tank, Asami slowing down so Naga could keep ahead.

“Good girl, Naga!”, Korra yelled out the window before Asami rolled it back up. Asami squinted,

“Ow, right in my ear”,

“Sorry”

“It’s okay”, she could hear the smile in Asami’s voice. Korra, leaning against the back of Asami’s seat and her head on the shoulder, looked aside to Mako, stroking Pabu absent-mindedly.

“Hey, your head better now?”

“Hmm? Oh yeah, thank you”

“Don’t fall asleep if you get a concussion”, Asami wagged her finger cutely. She could feel Korra’s breath lightly on her hair.

“Is Naga helping? We’re almost there…”

“Yeah, at least she can help pad down the bad snow in front of us”.

“Is Pab-pabs keeping you company up there, bro?”

“He’s fine”,

“Are you fine? You seem… quiet”, Opal said, her head back against Bolin’s chest.

“I’m fine, this is the second time I’ve left Wu like this in the last two months, he needs to be self sufficient if he’s going to be prime minister”.

“I’m sure he misses his right-hand man”, Korra said warmly.

“Yeah, well, do they have a phone at this inn? Or are we going to have to use the radio, if it works…”

“Yeah, I think they have a phone, definitely a radio, and I have mine with the pumped up reach, so if you need to make an oh so sweet, soothing call, don’t worry”, Asami smirked, glancing back at Korra.

“Well I’m glad. If there’s one thing I’m happy about it’s more phones. Imagine if we had more phones when Korra went missing? Again… and again”,

“Yeah, well, a phone call doesn’t always work like that”, Korra pouted, thinking if Mako, Tenzin, anybody else tried to call to check in on her during her rehab with Katara. She did think it may have helped now in hindsight, but then again she resented that he wanted to change the past, if that’s what he really meant.

“Okay…”, Asami’s said quiet, carefully, trying to reassure Korra. Korra leaned back up, “do you feel anything? Anything coming off the mountains maybe?”, Asami spoke back up. Korra sighed, couldn’t, just the residual energy she felt everywhere, just a bit stronger since they were near the South Pole.

“No, nothing major”.

“We’re here, Bo!”, said Opal sitting up, Pabu chittered as he jumped up on the dashboard from Mako’s lap. Naga howled, sitting next to the lodge and panting as she waited for the tank to come to a stop.

“We’re here! Oh thank god I have to pee so bad, Korra make nice with Mr. Kanguq so I don’t look completely unprofessional”.

“Oh, you’re so unprofessional!”, Korra joked, Asami braking the tank to a halt. Naga’s tail started swatting around wildly, threatening to knock Asami over as she got out of the tank and ran fast past her to the house. Mr. Kanguq and his wife came around from the front of the lodge, thankfully missing Asami run past.  
Korra maneuvered around the driver’s seat and jumped down, putting her hood up,

“Welcome! We’re so honored to have you here! The Avatar Princess and Ms. Sato! I’m Kanguq and this is my wife, Ila. Oh! I didn’t know you brought your own servants!”, Kanguq said, looking around and seeing the others fall out of the tank clumsily, Mako picking up luggage.

“Actually, that’s…”

“OH! Kanguq, you silly, that’s Nuktuk! The Hero of the South! Oh yoohoo, Nuktuk! Oh look he even brought a little girlfriend, shoot…”, Kanguq’s wife Ila exclaimed, stamping her foot in the snow. She ran over to him and helped him up, Opal on his arm,

“I’m so happy to meet Nuktuk, our hero! Oh, Kanguq, can you believe? A mover star at our little inn!”

“And the Avatar had nothing to do with it…”, Korra muttered, wondering where Asami was.

“Oh, another Nuktuk fan, how… nice”, Opal said, the corner of her mouth curling down.

“Watch out Opal…”, Mako teased, getting more luggage out.

“Oh, hey, easy, there, always nice to meet an adoring fan, but can you help get this mover star inside, I could sure use a nice down chair after bumping in that thing…”, Bolin said, carefully peeling the old woman off from hugging him.

“Oh, please, come with me, my name’s Ila, by the way”, she started leading Bolin by the arm to the lodge, Opal left pouting back with Mako.

“I’d love to get you all inside and comfortable but where’s Miss Sato, she is our guest of hono…”

“I’m here!”, Asami said, straightening out her skirt, which Korra said she was crazy for her to wear when they left her parents’ this morning. “A business deal’s never gone wrong in this one”, she’d winked.

“Ah, yes, Miss Sato, so wonderful to have you come, please do come in, I’ll have one of my men come help with the rest of the baggage, of course…”, Mako and Opal coming and following them inside. Korra leaned over and whispered to Asami,

“D’you find the bathroom okay?”

“Sh, just barely”.

\-----

It had been Monday when Asami came back from her meeting with her investments crew and told Korra about the prospective deal with the Astral Peaks Lodge, a luxury hunting lodge that was falling on a bit of hard times but was surrounded by pristine wilderness. And most importantly to Asami, excellent surrounding mountains that waited to be turned to ski slopes. Asami had been investing increasingly in ski resorts, a quickly popular destination with citizens from the Fire Nation and Earthbenders who were recuperating in the new Earth Nation and sought skiing outside Republic City. Asami had already invested in three successful resorts outside Republic City, plus one in the Earth Nation, and to have one year-round in the Southern Water Tribe made plenty of business sense. Astral Peaks was in the unspoiled, remote east of the Southern Water Tribe, where most only took week-long, hardscrabble hunting trips. Of course, Asami mentioned there had been some… accidents, at the lodge that had turned some guests away, but nothing too serious. They were both excited to go enjoy a cozy week inspecting Asami’s new investment, and invited Mako, Opal, and Bolin along. They had already made their plans to go before Korra’s parents called…

Two days after Asami had already made the arrangements, and they were already packing their bags, Korra got a call from her parents. She had already ignored a call the day before, when she was training hard in the gym at their apartment building, and she thought if it was important enough they would call back. She absentmindedly picked up the phone, thinking it might have been Bolin calling to tell them he was coming over.

Apparently, a “snow monster” was attacking a small village to the east in the Southern Water Tribe, and her father had become increasingly concerned about it. He had sent two men to investigate, and he hadn’t heard from them yet. Tonraq admitted he would go himself, but the annual council of tribal elders was underway in the capital and required his more immediate attention. Korra had asked if it was a rogue spirit once again, but her father claimed he wasn’t sure, only that there was some kind of dangerous monster threatening a village and inn in the east. Korra’s heart had sunk when he recalled the name of the lodge.

Their friendly, cozy business trip had turned into a “monster” investigation.

Asami was concerned that rogue spirits could be involved as well, which would make promoting the lodge a concern. After she had spoken to the owner Kanguq over the phone and Korra reassured her, they decided to go on with the trip. Besides, Korra didn’t mind if she had to rough up some spirits if that just made her trip all the more relaxing. Korra didn’t really tell Asami that. She was trying a “smooth and suave” Korra, and if she had already planned something in mind for the trip, showing off her prowess only helped the situation.

\-----

Korra looked out the latticed window, heard the wind howl a little now as the snow had picked up. Kanguq and his staff had prepared them a nice reception by the big hearth in the lobby. Korra scratched the back of her neck, embarrassed at herself for thinking like that days before. Especially when there was no guarantee that Asami would see her fight or pacify a spirit.

Everybody was stuffing their faces except Mako, who sat serenely and sipped his tea.

“MmmHMm! I love this spread, Miss Ila, if I do say so the little things in these cups are so good! What is this?”

“Eh, Seal Liver Pudding, Bo”, Korra said. Bolin and Opal, both who had two or three helpings, quietly choked and put their cups as politely back on the table as possible. Korra nudged Bolin,

“Try some Penguin Turnip Casserole, it’s really good, not as bad as you might think”. Bolin cautiously took a helping.

“That all sounds very impressive Mr. Kanguq, very impressive, you’ve all been very welcoming so far, as well, but I must ask about these… incidents you are encountering with the inn”, Asami said. You could hear everyone put their cups down a moment, Mr. Kanguq sighed before beginning.

“Well, there’s some been some accidents. Some… sabotage, you might call it. At first the monster was seen on the edge of the village. Then it only started to come here”.

“Ohhh, monster???”, Bolin said. Korra and Asami had told the others there were possible upset spirits. Not a monster.

“Yes, a monster. There were some smaller things at first. A sighting out in the woods from a hunting party. Our musk oxen getting lose in the night. Food stolen out of the ice cellar. Then some guests getting injured out in the woods when the monster chased them… No one’s been hurt seriously thank god, but there are getting a bit more … threatening”.

The fire crackled loudly, drowning out most of the ice winds that were starting to sound a little eerie.

“That does all sound very concerning, thank you for taking us in at this difficult time”, Asami said,

“Oh please, thank you for your interest in the property! The inn needed some repairs by the end of the summer and more and more guests attempted skiing on the mountain, we started to want to expand. It has only been so unfortunate though with these recent accidents, it’s been scaring some customers away…”

“Sir, what’s seems to be invoking the incidents? Are there any commonalities between each one? Do you think you might have angered any of your neighbors to have wanted to rise against you in anyway?”, Mako asked proddingly. He had been listening increasingly intent.

“You mean, you think someone else is helping this monster? That someone could have it out for me? Well, I can’t think of anyone, but I suppose anything’s possible”.

“Mako’s a detective with the Republic City Police department, he’s one of the best detectives I’ve seen”, Korra and Asami looked glowingly at Mako.

“Well, a detective, eh? Well, with you and the Avatar both I do feel much safer, but I do feel concerned for your safety…”

“Don’t forget about Nuktuk! After Unalaq, even our monster looks like kids in the snow compared to what he’s faced!”, Kanguq’s wife Ila beamed.

“Ah, thank you, Ila, really, no trouble, you food’s so delicious, uh, it is Bolin though, by the way”.

“If you want to investigate the inn, you have my full permission, I just do hope you are cautious once you go beyond the gardens and paddocks. It can be very dangerous up on the mountain or in the woods. If you go up the mountain you should take the Avatar with you, there have been several avalanches recently. We hope it isn’t the monster causing these, but they do seem to be getting larger”.

“We will take Korra up there, thank you”, Asami said.

Ila and the maids started clearing plates away and they rose to be shown to their rooms. Asami finished talking with Kanguq and Korra watched Bolin stretch,

“Hey, feel okay after that seal pudding?”

“Ugh, I’ve had… better, I might say, certainly not like the noodles your mom makes”,

“Eh, I didn’t think it was so bad, I’d had it before”, Mako said. Bolin stuck his tongue out in a blech. Bolin and Opal followed the younger maid upstairs, and Asami and Korra were called to follow Ila.

“Oh, I do hope you all enjoy your stay here, we pride ourselves with comfort out here in the wilderness. Our rooms are cozily furnished with modern amenities, no cold outhouses here”, Ila shook her finger, looked back at Korra who had felt the pain of an outhouse at 4 am in a blizzard before. The lodge was more of a upstanding hotel than a traditional igloo or longhouse, though it did seem to be showing its wear. Ila opened the door to a cozy room with a down quilt that had an otter-beaver motif. Korra looked up and noticed the door was a bit small to let Naga fit through, who’d probably have to sleep down in the lobby.

“Oh…’, Asami started, “Korra and I usually sleep together… and with a monster on the loose, I’d feel better with the Avatar nearby…”

“Oh! Of course I understand dear, her room’s right next door in Kwel Kwel, let me just grab her bags…”. Korra crossed her arms, cocked her eyebrow at Asami as Ila got the rest of the bags.

_Gay_. Korra mouthed silently to her.

_Shut up_ , Asami mouthed back, blushing and turning away, trying to regain composure before Ila came back in.

“Now, oh, you’ve got me worried. Bolin’s got that girlfriend of his, and you’ll two will be together. What about the Mako boy, should he go in here…”

“NO!”, Asami and Korra both said at the same time. They glanced wildly at each other a second.

“Um, I’m sure Mako’s fine. He fought triads off growing up, I’m sure a snow monster is nothing. And his room’s just down the hall”, Korra assured.

“Well, alright, if you need anything, just let us know!”, she closed the door, leaving, _finally_ , Korra thought.

They both looked at each other and sighed, Asami sitting back on the bed.

“That scared me for a second”,

“Sh, yeah I know. I’m glad you noticed, I was looking to see if Naga could fit in here”. Asami smiled,

“I’m sure she’ll be fine downstairs”.

“This is cute”, Korra said, leaning up against the dresser. The room had warm red and brown tones and the walls were polished wood. There were caribou-elk skin rugs on the floor and the bed was caribou-elk fur.

“Did I say ‘sleep together’?”, Asami said, falling back on the bed.

“You did. That’s why I said ‘gay”.

“Please, like you wouldn’t have dragged your bags in here the moment after she left”. Korra sighed, fell down on the bed next to Asami, her face a foot away from her,

“I saw they do breakfast in bed, sounds nice…”

“Do they have robes? I’m surprised they have a bathroom actually, is there a tub in there?”. Korra got up to check,

“Yep, no shower though, not a surprise. Fair enough tub for two. Oh they do have robes. A little worn though…”, Korra came back out, had thrown the robe on, “…you want wine too? You used to a fancy resort experience, Miss Sato?”.

“I’d probably have them put that in if I bought the place, yeah”. They both sighed, stared at the wood ceiling. The house was creaking a little from the wind outside.

“Where did you pee? Was there a bathroom downstairs?”,

“Yeah, it was fine, I just made it”.

“Hmm”, Korra snuggled up to Asami in the fuzzy robe, “… I wish they did have chocolates on the pillow here. See, you’ve spoiled me. I half expected a hot tub”.

“You are a hot tub, why else did you think I invited you in here?”. Korra did her signature pout, Asami did her half giggle and she pulled Korra over for a kiss. Korra fell sideways on her.

“Mm, yeah, we’ll probably use that breakfast in bed, I’m sure”.


	2. Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Team Avatar begin to investigate the grounds of the hunting lodge, and find some clues. After dessert they retreat to their rooms for some tipsy affection, but what waits for them out in the cold snows of the South Pole?

There was an hour left of southern daylight left that the friends could explore the grounds in. Korra and Asami had passed by Mako’s and saw that his room had a cute snowcat motif, and the outside of Bolin and Opal’s room had an engraving of an arctic osprey on it. Korra had coaxed Asami into wearing more appropriate clothes for their little walk, putting on her green snow coat she had bought when they had visited her last ski resort investment. It was bright green and different for Asami, but it made her look huggable which Korra liked. Mako was wearing a slimming orange and red snow jacket and a maroon scarf that seemed a bit high class for his tastes. Bolin had on an extra bulky blue and green snow jacket and Opal was wearing a parka she had borrowed from Senna before they had left the capital. Korra’s parents had said before they left they would probably come up to see the property in a few days time, once Tonraq’s meetings had finished. The parka was too big on Opal, and it looked cute on her because of it. It swished to the point that the five of them walking down the stairs plus the parka took up the whole stairway.

  
“I didn’t know this parka would be so big on me! I hope it’s okay in the wind!”,

  
“It should be, just being warm is what matters. It might have been my dad’s actually…”

  
“You can wear one of my jackets if you want, Opal, Korra and I have a few”.

  
“Thank you, I might”. Korra touched Mako’s arm,

  
“You look slim in that one, is it warm?”,

  
“Yeah, it’s one of those ones with the high density stuff inside”.

  
“Where’d ya get that?”, Korra smirked,

  
“With Wu, shopping”. 

  
“Is that the same place you got that scarf?”, Korra cocked her eyebrow. Mako frowned, looked ahead. Asami noticed, her arm threaded around Korra’s,

  
“Oh! Is that cashmere, Mako?”,

  
“…yes”, he said quietly.

  
“Was it a gift from a special someone?”, Opal eyed Mako, the five of them now outside in the snow-covered garden just aside the lodge.

  
“No, I picked it out”, he said matter-of-factly. 

  
“Looks like you're finally getting some taste”, Asami winked mischievously. Korra got her joke and smirked.

  
“Let’s talk about someone else now, Bolin, where’d you get your jacket?”, Mako diverted the attention. 

  
“Oh, uh… I think I probably got it when I was out with Varrick or something, it’s a little too sporty for my tastes. Maybe I’ll wear the big parka if you won’t, Opal!”.

  
“I think you look handsome, and expensive. In the snow in style…”, Opal cutely winked, hanging onto Bolin’s elbow like Asami had on Korra’s. “...still, yet, it is a bit garish”.

  
“I’d rather be traditionally cozy”, Bolin smirked, swapping romantic looks with Opal. Korra gave a cheesy grin to Asami,

  
“Let’s talk about Asami’s wardrobe…”,

  
“Let’s not, let’s instead talk about what we’re here for, look for anything out of the ordinary out here”.

  
The couples and Mako split, started going down different rows of the garden. Korra could see the lodge grew a significant amount of turnips and potatoes, the very tops of the plant sticking out through the snow with a bit of an indent around them. She could see small snow pear tree saplings, and larger ones beyond the garden fence, scrawny in the snow. Asami leaned down and found boot prints by the side of the lodge, and an area where it looked like several turnips had been wrenched from the ground violently, a few roots to the side.

  
“I think I found something!”. The others came over,

  
“You think a monster got into the garden and took some?”, asked Bolin in an innocent-sounding tone.

  
“That or one of the hired hands isn’t a very careful gardener”, Opal said.

  
“They also could have just plucked a few haphazardly this morning, before we got hear to make the food we just had”, Asami said, leaning back up with a root in her hand.

  
“They knew we were coming a couple days in advance, and most Water Tribe have tons of stuff in the cellar”, Korra offered.

  
“Right”, Mako assured.

  
“So… monster?”, Bolin asked again.

  
“Well, let’s keep looking”. They split ways again, but Mako followed Asami and Korra to the side of the lodge, saw the cellar door.

  
“Can we go in there?”, Mako came up, Korra and Asami having stopped.

  
“Seems a bit rude… what if we find out they got stuff cooped up down there”, Asami crossed her arms, cast them a joking look.

  
“You think they got skeletons or the monster down there? Come on. Still…”, Korra looked around, said quietly, “… they probably wouldn’t like us down there, we can come back later or in the night when nobody’s around”.

  
“Good thinking. I don’t want to rule out that the owners or any of the staff isn’t suspicious”, said Mako, nodding affirmatively. Korra and Asami nodded too, and they headed back towards Opal and Bolin, standing near the edge of the forest.

  
“There’s some weird looking foot prints here! You might wanna see…”, Bolin said to the other three once they got closer. They hastened over and saw some very large looking prints were in the snow next to one of the scrawny pear trees, and led into the ominous-looking snow fallen wood.

  
“They look a little… ambiguous”, Asami said, noticing they looked merely like two people in large boots near the tree, but looked like one set of tracks once they started in the woods.

  
“Hmm, could be just a guy walking behind the other, but it does seem a bit close…”, Mako thumbed his chin.

  
“Or maybe one’s giving the other a piggyback ride”, Korra smirked at Mako. He gave her a look but nobody added on.

  
“They look… heavy, to me. Just smaller than Naga’s front paws, but they have less definition”, said Bolin.

  
“It looks like they’re from yesterday, I’m sure they’ve melted in a bit since then. Still, it’s a clue”, said Korra.

  
The wind was getting chillier coming off from the coast, and they agreed to search there tomorrow, if weather permitted. One of them would also go into the woods, and Korra and Asami mused checking out the mountain slopes that would become ski hills. They walked back to the lodge and found coffee and cakes had been set up in the lobby for them, Naga looming close to the snack trays.

  
“No, girl, shoo! If you’re gonna be down here you have to be on your best behavior. Just because we’re home doesn’t mean you can rustle around these people’s house, and no sneaking into kitchens either! Dad, or, _Asami_ , is going to have to pay for stuff if you break it!”, Korra lectured Naga, who groaningly slumped behind a couch Asami and Korra sat on.

  
“Such a good dog mom”, Asami said lowly for only Korra to hear. Korra looked at her, turned to scratch Naga as Asami helped herself to brandy that had been left for them too.

  
“She knows what she needs to do…”, Korra said more affectionately, Naga rolled on her back, her belly just over the back of the couch. Asami smirked, grabbed a sandwich cookie from the plates and fed it to Naga.

  
“Ohh… Naga lucky girl, no more for you…”, Korra cooed in dog owner-like fashion. Pabu, on Opal’s lap, seeming to sense Asami’s sneaky feeding, jumped onto Bolin and crawled up around his neck. Bolin flinched, almost spilled his coffee, Pabu was nibbling his ear,  
“

Agh Pabu, noooo”

  
“No biteys”, Opal pulled him off Bolin, looked around shiftily before handing Pabu a cookie stick.

  
Mako felt a hot, deep sniff on the back of his head, turned around,

  
“ _Boof_ ”, Naga snorted, her nose to the back of his hair. He turned around, and she put her paws over the back of the couch and scooted forward a little…

  
“Oh god. No…”. Mako leaned his glass of brandy away, his plate of cake growing ever close to Naga’s nose.

  
“Naga, NO, down. Naughty thing you…”, Korra scooped a piece of cake on a plate and passed it to Asami who put on the floor at the end of the couch. Naga loped over and inhaled the piece in a snuff.

  
“Thanks. She must be hungry, she did run all the way here”, Mako said, smirking, getting back to his cake.

  
“She’s not supposed to get treats too much…”, Korra said, thinking of how her and Asami had been spoiling Naga the past couple months back home in Republic City. Asami had been really enjoying racing against her on the track, spoiling her with specially ordered polar bear dog sweaters and lots of snacks, including when Korra wouldn’t be there. She’d gained a little weight, but to be honest Korra probably had too eating nice long dinners with Asami.

  
The group finished their coffee and after a brief reassurance from Kanguq who came to say goodnight, they sauntered up the stairs feeling warmer and a bit more loose. Korra wondered if it was a usual gesture or if Kanguq wanted them to be a bit sated and tipsy so they wouldn’t wake up to anything in the night, per Mako’s suspicions. But Korra was already losing those thoughts, scooped up a wobbling Asami on the stairs in her arms. Asami let her head back and snickered with a lull, put her hand to Korra’s chin.

  
Bolin put his arm around Opal’s waist too, starting pulling her to their room harder and she giggled in response, a bit more sober than the rest of them likely as she just preferred not to drink much. Mako’s footfalls were heavy and he balanced himself with his hand against the wood paneling, waved and mumbled a goodnight to both parties as he went to his room, situated in the middle between them. He was one wall away from Korra and Asami’s room, and Korra felt a little bad about that but she wasn’t going to hold back for his sake. Asami’s hand snaked higher up Korra’s cheek,

  
“Korra’re you drunk?”

  
“No, you’re more tipsy than me, lightweight”. Asami pouted,

  
“I am no lightweight”,

  
“You are here down South in the cold”,

  
“The booze warms me up a bit”, she said as Korra managed to open the door while still carrying her. Korra nuzzled closer, 

  
“I can warm you up…!”. Asami cupped Korra’s face, said with an alluring smoke to her voice,

  
“Yes, you can”, about to kiss Korra before she set Asami on the bed, stepped back.

  
“You know Mako’s right next door”, Korra said, starting to undress.

  
“You think I care…”, Asami sighed, looked at the window, blurry with frost.

  
“No, it hasn’t stopped us before. I’m just trying to measure your alcohol levels honestly”.

  
“Well, a couple brandies isn’t going to make me lose it, I’m probably more strung out from the drive and the day than anything”.

  
“Yeah…”, Korra said, realizing she wanted to talk, sat on the bed in her underwear and bindings.

  
“It was a bit stressful getting out, getting here down South… I love it and all but I also just want everything to go perfect, ya know?”,

  
“Hm-hm”, Korra nodded her on, stroking her leg slowly.

  
“I mean, business isn’t easy but I guess I was selfish in thinking this would be more a vacation… am I a bad CEO for that?”, Asami cocked her eyebrow at Korra seriously, her arms crossed and head on pillow.

  
“No, no, unless… _you want me to call you a bad CEO_ …”, Korra purred, looking at Asami’s pants and wondering if she should wiggle them off her.

  
“Hmph, Korra, come on, I’ll admit I am tipsy but at least humor my sentimental-ness”, she said, making up words for the who-cares of it.

  
“Alright, I think you’re over thinking a little. Sure a monster’s a problem but we’re Team Avatar remember? And I think you could even take on some creep like that by yourself”, Korra snuggled in beside her.

  
“Hmm, I guess, I haven’t bought the place yet. Okay, naked me up…”, she said, lifting her arms above her head.

  
Korra growled softly, pulled her shirt off,

  
“Naked? ‘Naked’, naked? I don’t want you that bare down South…”

  
“I think you’d want me a bit bare if I was going down your south…”, Asami said oozing charm.

  
Korra made another growling purr, and Asami lightly gripped her cheek,

  
“Wipe that smug grin off your face, it’s not like I’m putting up much of a fight”. Korra leaned in and they fell softly into a kiss like snowflakes falling. Korra rubbed her strong hand lovingly against Asami’s shoulder and neck, pulled back a second for her to whisper against her lips,

“Wiped off”.

Korra started to massage and grip Asami's shoulder, and started to slide Asami's bra strap down, when they heard a yowling, pained howl, however muffled under the night's arctic winds. Asami's eyes opened up before Korra's, Korra too in the zone to realize instantly what was happening, 

"Korra wait that's...". They heard a longer, more spine-chilling howl. This time, they could feel it amplify from the wood paneling of the inn... it was nearby. 

"What...?", Korra lifted her head up, could feel Asami's waxy lipstick on her cheek. Both of them jumped when they heard the bang of the door open, Asami feeling Korra grip her tighter. It was Bolin, thankfully, poking his head in, 

"Guys! We gotta go! It's the monster!". 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading and any comments or kudos! Sorry it ends on a cliff-hanger but its supposed to be a parody of Nancy Drew and Scooby-Doo stories. And while thematically it may not tie-in completely, there's a reason it's rated "M" I'll say ;)

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading and any kudos or comments are much appreciated!


End file.
